Sago / Stem / Seed Club?

[Samus C]

I don't know how many people will actually post here LOL. I posted a NBD about my Sago a week or so ago, and no one responded. I did a google search and found less than a dozen threads about Sago on this site.

BUT

A week out, everything about my bass continues to amaze me. There's not a lot of info on non-Japanese websites about Sago, which is wild, because they're big enough to have two import lines (Stem, and Seed respectively), and are carried by several of the biggest named Japanese music stores like Ikebe.


At any rate, here's some more pictures of my Vezer 6er:

It has absolutely spoiled me on my other basses. The neck is so strong, that even with 30-45-65-85-105-125 strings on it, if there's no tension on the truss rod, it only has like .010" relief. 1/8 turn of tension brings it to about .005" relief, which is absolutely perfect for me. Thanks to the single cut design, all the notes are so even across the whole fret board. Everything sustains forever, from the low B to the high C on the 24th fret. There are absolutely no dead spots. That cursed C# on the 6th fret rings for well over 10 seconds. I *could* literally sell all my other basses and be happy with this. I *WONT* but i could

 

[Samus C]

I'd love an excuse to pick up this Sago Aldila:

https://jp.mercari.com/item/m42212072023

 

[AltecGreen]

I guess it is up to me to help post about Sago.


I currently own five Sago instruments with a six arriving on Friday.


Here's my Sago Defi 5 fan fret bass. This is a set-neck 5 string version based on the Defi bodystyle made popular by Japanese bassist, Mina. This bass was one of five made for Ikebe, a store in Japan.

















Sago Ove Monthly Masterpiece #14

This is a one-off Ove Sago made in 2021. Here's is the description from their webpage. The bass is a 7.2 lbs.

https://sago-nmg.com/guitarbass/mmp14/
















In honor of the Vezer bass, I'll post these although they are guitars. These two guitars are based off the same shape as the Vezer bass.


Yukikaze Kai 2







Yukikaze Kai Custom

 

[Naviiin]

I'd love a Kanderbird or a Derashi Custom. Damn you import costs.

 

[AltecGreen]

I'd love a Kanderbird or a Derashi Custom. Damn you import costs.
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The exchange rate is really favorable right now so that offsets some of the costs.

You can probably get the Derashi Custom shipped to the US for about $960 USD. Shipping does hurt a lot in this case.

 

[Samus C]

Wow it only took a year before anyone responded LOL

I guess it is up to me to help post about Sago.

I currently own five Sago instruments with a six arriving on Friday.

Those all look fabulous! Im jealous. Those single cut guitars look fantastic.

I'd love a Kanderbird or a Derashi Custom. Damn you import costs.

I'd love a derashi style bass as a 5 or 6 string. That'd be perfect.

 

[AltecGreen]

Just got this one in.

 

[Samus C]

Really cool Ove6 on mercari:


https://jp.mercari.com/item/m58858416224

 

[AltecGreen]

Really cool Ove6 on mercari:


https://jp.mercari.com/item/m58858416224

Good price.

 

[NeilJazz]

I'd love a Kanderbird or a Derashi Custom. Damn you import costs.
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I have a chance to trade this bass for my MIM Fender Jazz but I am having second thoughts in terms of quality and value retention long term. Also, it as trading a Mexican bass to a China instrument albeit, under a Japanese custom shop.

Would love some inputs on this on whether it will be a good trade.

 

[Poobini]

I have a chance to trade this bass for my MIM Fender Jazz but I am having second thoughts in terms of quality and value retention long term. Also, it as trading a Mexican bass to a China instrument albeit, under a Japanese custom shop.

Would love some inputs on this on whether it will be a good trade.

Probably not great for value retention because it's not a very well known western brand, and multiscale/fanned frets can be polarizing to folks. It's COOL though, for sure. Personally, I'd trade for a Derashi custom in a heartbeat... but I'm an odd bird.

 

[NeilJazz]

Probably not great for value retention because it's not a very well known western brand, and multiscale/fanned frets can be polarizing to folks. It's COOL though, for sure. Personally, I'd trade for a Derashi custom in a heartbeat... but I'm an odd bird.

Yeah, I'm going to have to pass on the trade. It is really interesting but a Fender is a Fender...

 

[AltecGreen]

The quality of the SEED instruments is pretty good. I avoid Fenders at all cost so I would have taken the trade. But then I already own 5 Sago instruments so that's almost a given.


The re-sale value of the SEED instruments vary. The Kotetsu which is a guitar holds it value well even in the West. No one makes an instrument with those specs and enough people know about them that they hold their value. Harder to say for the newer instruments like the Derashi.

Although there are aren't any for sale right now and you can get a decent price in Japan if you had one.

 

[Poobini]

Snagged a Derashi custom this morning. Crazy excited.

 

[wintremute]

Anyone here have any experience or feedback with the Sago Dullahan?

Sago Dullahan / MINA Signature model | Sago New Material GuitarsSago New Material Guitars

Sago Dullahan / MINA Signature model JPY532,500. (Deposit):¥250,000. -Please note that this is a deposit page […]

sago-nmg.com

I really like the look of that.

 

[AltecGreen]

Anyone here have any experience or feedback with the Sago Dullahan?

Sago Dullahan / MINA Signature model | Sago New Material GuitarsSago New Material Guitars

Sago Dullahan / MINA Signature model JPY532,500. (Deposit):¥250,000. -Please note that this is a deposit page […]

sago-nmg.com

I really like the look of that.

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I don't own Mina's signature bass but I do own a multiscale Defi. Mina's signature was based off of the Defi body with artwork and color that she designed while in high school.

Sago make very nice instruments and they kinda of have their own vibe. I'm a bit biased because I own 6 Sago instruments.


If you are interested in a Dullahan, Sago just released an import SEED version of the Dullahan. SEED is Sago's import line. The SEED version something like $658 plus shipping. They started taking pre-orders three days ago. They have listings on Reverb so international sales. The key difference in spec is that the SEED has a one piece maple neck rather than a 5 piece neck and it is passive. The Sago version is active but also closer to $4K USD. The import SEED instruments are fairly nice. I owned a SEED guitar at one point. It was perfectly playable without any additonal work and the price is much more affordable. That said when I bought a Sago version of the same guitar, I sold the SEED. there is a difference in the quality between what comes out of SAGO's custom shop versus the import line.

Mina and Kubochi from Sago did a video about the bass a few days ago. This has a lot of details about how Mina came up with the design. (Turn on CC for subtitles)







Mina herself received a new Sago five string JM bass. Mina just joined th band East of Eden and showed off the new bass when they announced. Her new red bass is a brother to my yellow SAGO JM bass. I own the first one built as a five string.

 

[konaaayukeeenee]

Are these custom builds? I'm kind of interested in ordering a full custom but would like to get an idea of what the ordering process is like and ballpark price ranges.

 

[AltecGreen]

Are these custom builds? I'm kind of interested in ordering a full custom but would like to get an idea of what the ordering process is like and ballpark price ranges.

The Sago branded instruments are all custom builds. They are one of a handful of Japanese shops that do full custom work.

They made a YT video a few years ago that goes over the cost of a full custom. It maybe easier to just send them an email.

You can literally draw a sketch on a napkin and they can generate the build from that. I believe for something like that they have an in house designer that takes the drawing and turn it into a set of drawings. The cost is by the hour needed to create the build package.

This is of course for a unique design. It’s much simpler if the build is based on one of their existing models or a traditional design.

I’ll try to dig up the video later.

 

[basswixard]

I was also looking into a Sago bass they tell me they are going to be working with a US dealer soon

 

[konaaayukeeenee]

They made a YT video a few years ago that goes over the cost of a full custom. It maybe easier to just send them an email.

Have you (or anyone else here) dealt with them directly before? I sent a request for a quote to the email they gave me on IG over two weeks and still no response, and not even any acknowledgement on IG when I checked to see if they'd actually received it. I get they're a small company but I've had better communication from similar or even smaller-sized companies.